In the lead-up to Alberta’s October 19 referendum on secession from Canada, efforts by the province’s separatist movement to secure American support have come into sharper focus, revealing a coordinated campaign involving Republican operatives from the United States. Sources close to the separatist group Alberta Prosperity Project confirmed that political strategists from Michigan, who had formerly worked on Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, traveled to Calgary early this year to offer advanced voter mobilization software and campaign strategies aimed at boosting separatist support in the province.
The meeting, held near Calgary International Airport, was a private gathering between the separatist leadership and several Americans, including Drew Born and Drew Wierda, key figures behind the software known as 10X Votes. This tool mines voter data to identify communities likely to support specific political causes, promising an enhanced ability to sway elections. Proponents within the Alberta campaign have lauded the technology as a key asset in overcoming historical challenges—Alberta separatism has previously hovered around only 30% public support.
However, the use of 10X Votes has also been linked to a significant privacy breach affecting nearly three million Albertans, a development that has triggered concern among Canadian security authorities.
Beyond technological assistance, separatist leaders have pursued direct engagement with U.S. government officials to garner political and potentially economic support for Alberta’s independence. Meetings were held with representatives from the U.S. State Department at the Harry S. Truman Building in Washington, D.C., on multiple occasions in 2025, during which separatist delegates outlined proposals to intertwine Alberta’s future with American interests.
According to former Alberta Prosperity Project co-founder Dennis Modry, the separatists discussed offering the United States preferential access to Alberta’s natural resources, including oil royalties, agricultural and forestry assets, and fresh water supplies. Proposals reportedly included constructing oil pipelines through Washington State to reach the Pacific, circumventing opposition in British Columbia, as well as potential infrastructure deals involving railroads to Alaska. A confidential document setting out these benefits was said to have been presented to U.S. officials, though the exact recipients and details remain undisclosed.
These overtures have drawn mixed responses from within the Alberta separatist movement itself. Jeff Rath, a lawyer involved with the project who helped arrange the State Department meetings, dismissed Modry’s descriptions of the proposals as exaggerated and labeled related documents “stupid.” Rath characterized the discussions with U.S. officials as general conversations about Alberta’s aspirations for independence, denying that specific offers of resource concessions or economic agreements were part of the talks.
Meanwhile, prominent Michigan-based Republicans associated with the 10X Votes software openly support Alberta’s secession efforts, with Drew Born publicly advocating for U.S. annexation of the province and expressing personal hopes for the referendum’s success. Such stances have lent increased legitimacy to the separatist cause within certain conservative circles in the United States, even as the movement faces ongoing domestic legal and political challenges.
At the federal level, Canadian security agencies are reportedly monitoring the involvement of American actors who have shown interest in Alberta’s secession bid, reflecting concerns over foreign interference in Canadian provincial affairs. Observers note that while separatist sentiment remains a minority position in Alberta, the active engagement of external political operatives and the infusion of U.S. campaign techniques may significantly impact the dynamics of the upcoming vote.
The referendum will determine whether Albertans wish to begin the formal process of separating from Canada, with the campaign’s outcome potentially reshaping the country’s political landscape and cross-border relations. With external support evident and internal debates ongoing, the vote is expected to be closely scrutinized on both sides of the border.